Colorado and Utah Summer 2016 Go Pro Highlight Reel

Total Mileage 4803

Truck Mileage 3455

Dr650se Mileage 1348

Day 1 

Mount Evans Road

Rampart Range Road

Day 2

Pikes Peak

Day 3

Animas Fork

Ophir Pass

Day 4

Geyser Pass

Arches National Park

Day 5

Moab

Day 6

Dolores Triangle Safari Route

Colorado and Utah Summer 2016 Day 6 - 182 miles

We unloaded our bikes and took on Hells Revenge

Colorado and Utah Summer 2016 Day 5 - 196 miles

196 easy miles going over Geyser Pass. Utah was pretty quick to come up. A little bit of slab and we arrive without any drama

Geyser pass starts with lots of wild life. No fence. We saw deer and cows either crossing the road of on the road. This random lake that infested with swarms of flies or mosquito. We didn't stay long enough to find out. Very mild but fun off-road

We come into Utah, into Spanish valley

Arches National Park.  We rode in Arches until the sun is down around 9 pm.

The go pro didn't capture the night footage very well. Some what disappointed. We went down a gravel road at the end of arches. It was a short 4x4 trail but it was pretty fun. We went total hooligan style with minimal protective gear. Lol. Disturbingly it didn't bother me at all. The heat will be crazy tmr, when we are hitting the trails on Moab. Until then, our days are shorter and I'm too excited of the next day to really have any time to reflect. For now, it'll be picture story.

Go pro picture will be sift through, but right now there are like 5 mil of them, and unless I get back really early I can't get through them all.

Colorado and Utah Summer 2016 Day 4 - 106 miles

Our adventure yesterday was nearly all dirt, other than the stretch of 550 coming down from Ouray. There are tunnel passing is all over the highway

We try the alpine trail head on, It wasn't anything we haven't done. But last time we rode up heavy incline and huge rocks, we dropped our bikes a few times. We decided we want to not break out bikes since we still have Moab to hit.... little did we know as we learn from others on the road later on, that was the hardest part. And it flattens out when you crest the top. 60% up the crest, before we turn around. If we kept up with it another 100 ft we probably would have seen it clearing up.

These guys on these large KTM 1190 rode up some sketchy passes. Makes us look like newbies. I was telling Jeff, all these guys out here are like 50-60 year old men. We also find that a lot of them are motocross riders at their younger age. I really have wished I had those experiences when I was younger. I either be more beast now, or dead. Lol.

On our way to Animas Forks. We also met a few guys on smaller bikes, drz400, ktm, etc and they chatted us up, and we end up at the same lunch spot. They show us the trail maps and where to go since they have done some of the stuff already in the past. They also assure us Ophir road was doable. It was obviously a mountain pass that cut through the mountain. We knew it will be rocky and steep.

Ophir Pass beginning. And it got interesting fast. 

Lots of blind hairpins with steep incline. We eventually made to the top of Ophir Pass. There was very windy at the top. 

Heading down is very scary. Its changing your underwear scary. The scenery however, is unlike anything I have experienced. The Switzerland of America, is what they call this place. Having been there two years ago, I have to say its just as impressive. Kids here are also slow. 

We arrive in Telluride. We also ate light on the road. We end up at Angler inn just outside of Placerville. Very nice place.

Not really in the mood to blog about things. I'll probably write more when we get into Moab today. :) Enjoy the picks

Colorado and Utah Summer 2016 Day 3 - 309 miles

Today was our travel day. We thought it was going to be rather mundane traveling day.... boy were we wrong. Route 50, yes the same route 50 from MD, was absolutely jaw dropping beautiful. 100 miles from mountain passes to open fields, twisty long sweepers to rivers and reservoirs. It was glorious.

We started the day getting ready. Left around 9:30. We quickly reached Pikes Peak check point. It was much colder up pikes peak than Mt Evans probably due to the fact we were there earlier in the morning.

We ate lunch at local deli in woodland park. They had this posted in the deli, don't know if this is genius or ....

There were so many off road passes along the way, on route 50, but we really couldn't take them if we wanted to get to our destination any time before 9.

We arrived at Ouray, CO. Apparently they are know for hot springs... who knew lol

It was a long day. We were both exhausted upon arrival. The long stretch of elevation climb and 65 mph speed limit really put the Doctor to its speed limits. Its most comfortable at 55 to like 63. Anything higher is easier with tail wind, or constant 3/4 throttle. I was constant 3/4 throttle for a long stint. I ended up with 42 mpg, Jeff got 44 mpg. Our typical was 52 and 54 mpg. HUGE drop. Upon elevation climb above 8, 000 - 11,000 the more we go up the more we had to be on constant throttle to stay up to speed. You can feel the lost of power in the engine.

Ouray was very much similar to eureka springs, down in the valley and in the base of the mountain surrounding us. It was amazing. Lots of locals here, very interesting atmosphere. People are really friendly. I always wonder in the small town. Do the people just come to the same bar every night? I really could move out here, ride every day. Explore the wild west.

More to ponder for another day. Video takes a bit to go through, I'm still trying to find a way to quickly do it, and post them.

Colorado and Utah Summer 2016 Day 2 - 195 miles

Our track for the first day landed us 195 miles and ended in Colorado Springs. We took route 6 as suggested by our local host. It was magical. We will take it on the way back via returning to Denver and put up some video footage.

Pat is our host for the truck, and gave us some tips of where to go. Just randomly trusting someone you don't know, and being completely okay with it, is liberating. It frees us from preconception of prejudice and fear we have accumulated over the years. Our fears and negative experience become our prejudice, each and everyone has it, it is our natural adaptation to survive. But as we become older, and accumulate more things in our psyche, our lives become more and more narrow. And dare I say, more and more prejudice. (i'll follow up with a more detail post, flushing out this opinion later)

Truck in driveway, in a safe place. We even store our drinks and ramp in his garage.

Idaho Springs, I saw the hotel I stayed at 4 years ago. It's quite exciting recognizing things from the past. Then we went up Mount Evans Road

We break intermittently as we climb the elevation to avoid altitude induce sickness. This is around 12000 or 13000 feet. We had to put some layers on as well, due to the fact its getting colder and colder, and we saw some ice on the way up. My Dr with the aftermarket filter from pro-cycle, fuel screw adjustment, and needle up a notch is running like a beast all the way to the top. My snack was about to explode on its own, I had to open it and eat a bunch.

We hiked o the top, some dude ask Jeff if the water pack was an oxygen tank, and if he had bad lungs. lolol

We made it, some young girl volunteered herself for our photo op while I was trying to use the selfie stick. It was really nice of her.

The weather is amazing. Last time I was up here, there was all kinds of cloud. Today I could see all the peaks from the observation deck. That and I was a lot more prepare for the cold atop the mountain. This made the trek up much much more enjoyable when I was at the peak. Experience does pay off.

Cactus Jack, live music, good food, and even better location. I should just move here. Nothing wrong with the east coast, but around here in the mountains is where I feel the most alive.

Rampart range road. Incredible amount dirt road, that goes on for infinity. What's even more impressive is that the park is a terrain park for off road sports. So all along the trail to the left and right you can see people running the trails on their dirt bikes. 

Jeff also helped some local with directions. Yes.... you heard that right, he was helping out a local who was lost.

Ended at garden of the gods. Great day, Whats even more awesome, is that we went at closing and when we are coming out, the cop ask Jeff to run into the park with his bike and get everyone out. I'll have to edit the footage on the go pro at a later date to post. It was pretty epic. Riding your bike in the garden of the gods. Probably the one and only time in history. Lol .

Colorado and Utah Summer 2016 Day 1 + 2 - 1743 mi

First day, we started when Jeff got off work. I thought, I was going to have plenty of time, since I got out of work around 3, but instead I had to drive back to work, because I left the charge cord for my laptop there. So, when he showed up at 7:30 I just got ready no more than 15 min sooner. Packing is always an interesting art, no matter how many times you do it, there is always a chance that something will be forgotten. We drove over 24 hours straight. Made a few pit stops, and made it just a little later than anticipated.

We left at 7:30 PM from college park. Our first stop for gas, was around 10:37, we were so tire from working a full day. After I took over I only drove 75 miles, and I had to take a nap. Jeff napped an hour as well and offer to take over. And he trucked on.... literally. Our roles reversed during the break of dawn. I did more rounds than he did. But after breakfast we were much better

We stopped at the Arches. Then the sun fully risen

When we reached Kansas, we stopped at their famous Joe Kansas BBQ. To our surprise it was very much like mission BBQ in style. The food was amazing!

We finally arrived at 10:30 at Pat's place. We don't know pat, we simply corresponded via online. Via Facebook. He has offer to let us park our truck at his house in his driveway. He was up waiting for us when we arrive. Help us unload the bikes into his garage for safe keeping for the night. We drove to La quinta hotel just around the corner. Accommodations are excellent.

The motorcycling culture of helping others, but even more so, trusting others by simply believing the best in others is something we lack so much in this world. Actions of humanity speak far more than ideologies of change. As I debate many controversial topic with my colleagues and friends over the recent events unfolding in the news, I know one thing to be true. Everyone has an opinion, and many people do not agree. but the question is not about whether we agree or not. It is about what will you do moving forward to support others to make this world less segregated. And the question that people often never asked is, what I am doing now "does it just feel right? or does it actually solve the problem?".